CREJ

June 2019 \ BUILDING DIALOGUE \ 85 T he facade of Financial House stands out. It’s the first all-glass building in Cherry Creek North. The eight-story, 70,000-square- foot office tower might just be a harbinger of things to come in Denver’s toniest neighborhood. “This all-curtain-wall building sets a new precedent in Cherry Creek,” states Matt Ce- cere, 4240 Architecture’s principal-in-charge. “It provides moments of translucency and moments of reflection. In a way – it’s playing off of what’s around us, because we’re literal- ly reflecting all of it. In a similar vein, Cherry Creek is a ‘see and be seen’ district,” Cecere adds, recalling early design meetings for the project. “We kept coming back to this idea of style. Fashion is something that is fleet- ing. Style is something one always possess.” To elaborate on that point, he continues, “Ev- ery detail matters. With a minimalist design, you can’t make a mistake. You can’t cover it up.” One critical aspect was “looking at how the building really engages the street,” says Ce- cere. This was accomplished in part by way of heightened articulation and detail at the retail space and on the curtain wall around- the-corner entrance. “Coupled with that, it’s really integrated with the existing fabric to the north,” he adds. “There’s an indoor/outdoor relation- ship.” A courtyard on the north side of the lobby is the focal point. “There’s actually a gap between the two buildings creating an open space,” says Cecere. “It will be utilized by the public and by the tenants alike.” There’s also a relationship between past, present and future – which brings us back to the curtain wall. “It was at once something that fit into the current fabric, but also what is coming down the road,” says Cecere, noting that he thinks it will have a catalytic effect on projects to come. “The client took a calcu- lated risk that has become highly successful. It’s 100 percent leased.” “We were pushing the envelope in a lot WORDS: Eric Peterson Looking Glass: Financial House is Cherry Creek North’s 1st All-Glass Buildin g